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The Beauty of a Fiddle Leaf Fig

While we were away this summer, I left my houseplants with my mom.

The Fiddle Leaf Fig did particularly well under her green-thumb care.

I told her before we left that I really was not that attached to the tree and if it died, I would be okay. These trees can be very finicky and moving it to a completely different home – with different temperature, lighting and care – isn’t always successful.

When she brought it back over once we returned, I remembered how much I love this little tree. I’m so happy she kept it alive!

Do you know about Fiddle Leaf Fig trees?

It seems like nearly every room that catches my eye while I’m scrolling through images has this variety of houseplant. They add that much-needed natural element to a room, their shape is organic and bold and fills in an empty corner just perfectly.

Here are a few examples of my favorite rooms with Fiddle Leaf Fig trees:

Don’t the trees just make each one of those rooms? My favorite decorating tip is to add fresh greenery and the big, shapely leaves and height of a Fiddle Leaf Fig is just the thing.

Let me tell you the story of my fig tree …

I bought mine three years ago at my local grocery/hardware store for $12. It was more of a bush than a tree so I decided to experiment and trim off the lower leaves to groom it into a tree. I wasn’t sure if it would work, but for $12, it was worth a shot (see the before and after photos here).

The little tree moved around a bit until I found a spot where I liked it. Unfortunately, the spot I chose was in a high traffic area of our home and little by little the leaves were either knocked off by certain members of my household (ahem) or the tree dropped them on its own because it was very unhappy in the spot where I put it.

Fiddle Leaf Figs like indirect light and lots of it. They like consistent temperatures and only enough water to keep the soil moist (about 1 cup per foot once per week). Mine just wasn’t happy.

Normally, I would toss out a tree that had lost its leaves but for some reason, I moved it into my office right under the window and left it alone for a few weeks. Sure enough, one day I noticed a little sprouting leaf. The next week, a new one grew. The leaves grow quickly and it is so fascinating to watch!

Now, after three years and one miraculous back-to-life experience, the tree is doing well. I replanted it last year in a larger pot with new potting soil to allow for more room for the roots and richer nutrients. It is currently living under the window in our family room where it gets consistent light and seems to be happy there.

Where can you find a Fiddle Leaf Fig?

They are a little hit or miss, but keep checking regularly at your local hardware store (I’ve heard Home Depot and Ace often carry them in the indoor plant section). IKEA sells small versions (the kind with leaves all the way down. Don’t hesitate trimming off those lower leaves if you like the look of a tree better. It worked great for me!). You can also check with a local nursery. If they do not have them in stock, they could likely order one for you. Small plants a typically less than $20, taller ones will be more.

Pop it in a pretty planter or a basket and it is an instant pick-me-up for any light-filled space.

I ordered 3 online at Home Depot kept 2, and gave one to my neighbor. They came to me packaged so well.. I would definitely recommend this if they are available. They were reasonably priced too! My 2 have grown so much taller than my neighbors because I have them on my patio under a covered area close to my house. They get the right amount of light there and have done so well. I will bring them inside when the temp drops in the winter months. I have debated trimming the lower leaves but think I may try that since I like that look. They are definitely popular in all the decor publications. Thanks for the info.

I have two very tall ones they are very sensitive you can’t over water them at all or they will drop their leaves. Good size pots to grow in help and they don’t mind outside in moderate temps. I haven’t figured out how to trim them yet. I bought mine 2 X $150 at a Estate Sale, over 30 years old! I have seen them at home depot here in CA for over $180 per plant so your price is great!

I love the thought of house plants but have tried two different variations of ferns this past summer and both died ? Any hot tips to keeping them alive? Or any other plants or variations that you’ve had success with? Luckily they were cheap so I’m willing to try again. Thanks so much!

I have been dreaming of a big fig but it is not in my budget, especially since I have read the stories of them being hard to care for. But I found a decent sized one at Lowe’s recently and for $19.99 took a chance. Her name is Fiona (I wrote about her on the blog last week) and I love her and hope she loves me back…

Haha Mindy- I call ours Fiona too! My little one gives me an odd look but I love to name the things that bring me joy! Currently our 3 month old Lab, Gracie, has decided she likes to dig in the pot and snatch Fiona’s lower leaves! So, I have had to move her into a sunny spare room to be safe….

I also have a plant named Fiona. I named all my plants and I have 20 plants (3 fiddleleaf fig- they are Parker, Murphy and Anna). They are toxic to animals and I have two lab dogs. I keep them up on a counter or a table. Away from them even though they don’t bother my plants. Better to be safe than sorry.

The finicky fig, haha :D It looks beautiful, but sadly we just don’t have enough space for a plant that size in our tiny (ahem, crammed…) appartement… And we don’t have that much light anyway. I would love to have more plants.

I wanted to let your readers know that they had fiddle leafs at my Costco this past weekend. They were really tall (over 6 ft.) and very full. I wasn’t sure I could find a place for it. $79 I love my maidenhair fern but she only likes it in our bathroom. Very fussy but beautiful!

What?! I’m headed to costco tomorrow and I’ll be looking! And yes, Maidenhair ferns are so fussy! I kill them all the time, but thankfully, they are often less than a bouquet of flowers so I don’t feel too bad.

I love my 8 ft fiddle leaf but it is definitely leaning towards the light and growing crooked – I had it in a corner and it grew towards the window. So I recommend people with the bigger ones rotate them every 2 weeks or so to keep the growth even. Does anyone know a good resource on taking off a branch/cutting to propagate a new plant?

I purchased a fiddle leaf fig approximately 2 years ago from our local nursery here in Pawleys Island, SC and paid $35. It was about 4 feet tall and very bushy. It is now 8 feet+ in height and I did trim off several of the bottom leaves about a year ago which really helps with the growth of the tree. This is one of the easiest trees/plants to care for. Love it!

I just purchased one from Molbaks in Woodinville – I’ve been seeing them in photos on design blogs for the past couple of years and have been wanting one but unable to find them in an inexpensive version. I bit the bullet and bought one, but it was $60! It is not a tree version, as those were upwards of $150 – I’d love to trim the leaves off the bottom of mine – it’s a bit “bushy” – but I’m afraid to – the woman at Molbaks told me not to, but it looks like it worked for you. Any tips for trimming successfully?

I’m so glad you mentioned trimming the bottom leaves so that it more closely resembles a tree! I bought mine from IKEA, and it has miraculously not died under my care (serial black thumb). It continues to grow, and I continue to re-pot it to accommodate, but I’ve always been confused about whether it will eventually look more like a tree. I may trim out those bottom leaves this week….

Someone told me once that there are two varieties: tree and bush. I’m not sure if that is true. I read a thread on a forum and there is quite an art to pruning trees, but there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with pruning the lower leaves or the top tip to spur on new growth. I figured it was worth a shot to trim off the lower leaves because I had very little invested in it – 3 years later and it did the trick. Leaves have never sprouted from any lower than I originally trimmed.